0:00:02 > 0:00:07These days, our money has to work even harder for us and a big expenditure is on property.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12Last year we spent a staggering £15 billion on repairs to our homes.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16But how can any of us be certain we've not been taken for a ride?
0:00:16 > 0:00:20- How much will it cost? - Hard to say. I reckon 325.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25- 300 quid for doing that.- Probably about seven and a half grand.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29With audacious secret filming, we'll reveal how easy it could be
0:00:29 > 0:00:32for you to be duped.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37- You've been ripped off. He's not a bona fide tradesman.- He's not?!
0:00:37 > 0:00:39There was something suspicious.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41BLEEP BLEEP
0:00:41 > 0:00:46We lift the lid on some of the UK's most shocking tradesman rip-offs.
0:00:46 > 0:00:51It was one of the worst conservatories I'd ever seen.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53The house was a death trap.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55No other word for it - conned.
0:00:55 > 0:01:01On today's show: our rogue tradesman Roger tricks a streetwise IT consultant
0:01:01 > 0:01:07into paying hundreds of pounds to repair his bathroom floor, although there's nothing wrong with it!
0:01:07 > 0:01:11We've got rot. I've seen baths fall through the ceiling.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13If we say 300 quid for doing that.
0:01:13 > 0:01:20The shocking tricks played by rogue London brothers who faked pipe leaks with spray bottles.
0:01:20 > 0:01:27- It took a daring police surveillance operation to bring them to justice. - He covers his hand with a glove,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29making sure to leave no fingerprints.
0:01:29 > 0:01:35And Roger's tricking a Berkshire man into thinking his garden tree is threatening his foundations.
0:01:35 > 0:01:42- Only expensive gadgets will save his house.- It makes the roots want to go deeper into the ground
0:01:42 > 0:01:45rather than spreading out. We can do that for 400 quid.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Stand by for Dirty Tricks of the Tradesmen.
0:01:55 > 0:02:01Hello. Now let's be honest. Most of us know little about plumbing, electrics, roofing.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05So we put our trust in tradesmen and we expect them to play fair.
0:02:05 > 0:02:12Of course, the vast majority do play fair. It's a small minority who turn rogue and make life a misery
0:02:12 > 0:02:15for thousands of us each year.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20We're meeting people who have been ripped off by dodgy tradesmen,
0:02:20 > 0:02:26plus with your help we can reveal how easy it is to fall for a typical set of tradesmen's tricks.
0:02:26 > 0:02:32Our viewers have set up their friends and relatives to receive a visit from our very own tradesman.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37Why? To show you how to avoid being taken for a ride.
0:02:37 > 0:02:44This is Roger Bisby. He has over 40 years' experience under his builder's belt.
0:02:47 > 0:02:53There's nothing he hates more than a dirty trickster out there to make a fast buck.
0:02:54 > 0:03:01But we're asking Roger to go against everything he believes in and become a dodgy tradesman,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05just so we can show you how not to get conned.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09We'll create minor household problems and send in Roger
0:03:09 > 0:03:13to show us all how easy it is to be ripped off.
0:03:13 > 0:03:20It's all being filmed in secret and Roger works with our cameraman Luke, posing as his apprentice.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25We'll find out in a moment where they're springing their first scam.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28According to statistics from the insurance industry,
0:03:28 > 0:03:34one-third of home owners often fail to ask for proof of ID when they let tradesmen into their homes.
0:03:34 > 0:03:40Roger's on his way to meet a polite young office worker from Essex to try an outrageous rip-off.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44No proof of ID or qualifications. Just lies.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Recently married, Channi and Vik Patel have been together since 2006.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Both work in London where she's in finance and he's in IT.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58She thinks her man's a streetwise cookie.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02I don't think Vik will fall for the set-up,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06only because he's reluctant to part with any money.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11So I think he would just say no to anything he quotes him
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and he won't get anything done.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19They just moved to Essex and Channi says she can hear dripping in the bathroom.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21That's Roger's cue for a rip-off.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25It's never a good idea to ignore these little drips,
0:04:25 > 0:04:31- so we need a few props. - I found this on the beach of my home town, Frinton on Sea.
0:04:31 > 0:04:37- It's a bit long, really. Let's shorten it down a bit. - Oh, my God. Are you...?
0:04:37 > 0:04:39- That's more like what we want.- OK.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43- We're going to plant that bit under the bath.- OK.
0:04:43 > 0:04:50If I can get them to believe that's been created by the drip, I can tell them the lot's rotten.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Cunning. And Roger's spicing up the plank with a dusty topping.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59This cobweb spray can be picked up in any joke shop.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00There you go.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05So having planted that under Vik's bath, Roger's second trick will be
0:05:05 > 0:05:10to make him think the whole floor's so rotten it's at risk of collapse.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16Then he'll overcharge for an instant spray treatment to the tune of around £300.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22Finally, if Vik falls for it, he'll try and sign up some long-term business
0:05:22 > 0:05:24to replace the whole floor.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29Roger will spring his bath night swindle when Vik's home from work.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34A reputable tradesman would charge an estimated £60 to fix a tiny leak
0:05:34 > 0:05:39and, of course, there's nothing wrong with their floor.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44But Roger is after big bucks. It's just after 7 o'clock when he calls.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48- Hello. Are you Vik? - Hello. Upstairs.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53What we've noticed is when I'm having a shower, there's a dripping noise.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56It's coming from somewhere here.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- If I turn it on...- Yeah.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05Roger's straight in without an ID check. Vik's made his first mistake.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08If you turn it off quickly...
0:06:10 > 0:06:16- Yeah. That's all right.- Roger's recognised the constant tapping is something totally harmless.
0:06:16 > 0:06:22- Worth its weight in gold to a conman.- I'll just grab a few tools and a torch and have a look.
0:06:29 > 0:06:35He's got this clicking sound. Every time he uses the shower, he hears drip, drip, drip. It's not a drip.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40What it is is the hot pipe trapped under the floorboard and it's expanding.
0:06:44 > 0:06:50It's a very common thing. A lot of people know about this from their central heating.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52It doesn't mean it's a leak.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57So that's easy. What I'll do is get on with it
0:06:57 > 0:07:03and go in there and take the panel off and we'll see if we can find a bit of the old dry rot.
0:07:04 > 0:07:11With tools under his belt, Roger returns to carry out his cunning plan.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15- You guys want a drink? - I'd love one. A cup of tea.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Have you got lapsang souchong tea? Or what is it?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I was only kidding.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27Nice tactic. Disarming Vik with your personality.
0:07:27 > 0:07:33While he makes posh tea, Roger starts taking the bath to bits - groundwork for his first trick.
0:07:33 > 0:07:40- Here we are. Can you put that somewhere safe, mate?- Yeah. - So it won't get trodden on.
0:07:40 > 0:07:46- Hang on, mate. I'll be back. - Whilst the coast is clear, Roger slips out for a torch
0:07:46 > 0:07:51and some props to do his tricks, leaving Luke to practise his banter.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- Are you just learning?- Yeah.
0:07:54 > 0:08:00- I used to work in aggregates. What line of business are you in? - I'm in IT.- Oh, OK.
0:08:00 > 0:08:06With a quick flick of the wrist, he hides the cobwebby wood up his shirt and returns to the house.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Roger, don't worry. You don't look suspicious, just fat.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- All right, Rog?- Yeah. Torch.
0:08:18 > 0:08:24Roger tries to win Vik's confidence with a stream of fascinating bathroom facts which he's made up.
0:08:25 > 0:08:33Do you know what, there's something like 75% of all call backs,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37like new houses, are leaks around the bath or shower.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40And that's in new houses.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Yeah. I had a leak in the kitchen where the light is.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50- Yeah, yeah.- The light was hanging and I had to take that away.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54No! Vik's broken the golden rule. He should watch like a hawk.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Now Roger has a chance to spray extra cobwebs under the bath
0:08:58 > 0:09:02and finally play his first dirty trick.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15- That was a close one!- Right, OK. If you look under there...
0:09:15 > 0:09:20Now he's slipped his wood into position, how will he use it to convince Vik?
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Watch out for meaningless waffle.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27- When you start looking, we've got rot.- Yeah.- Come around here.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31This is where the previous leak is. And it's all weak.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36We've got some evidence of a bit of fungus.
0:09:36 > 0:09:43There goes the cobwebby wood. Shame Roger's camera can't see it as he put a lot of effort in.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47I've seen baths where they have fallen through the ceiling before.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50That's in more extreme situations.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55- What I would suggest I do with it now is spray the whole thing.- Right.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- Just to stop the rot from going any further.- Right.
0:09:59 > 0:10:07If you want to go for something more extensive, we'd have to talk to the insurance company probably.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- Do you think insurance will cover this?- Oh, yeah, yeah.
0:10:11 > 0:10:17Vik's looking doubtful, but Roger's sneakily sown the seeds to overcharge several hundred pounds
0:10:17 > 0:10:21for a useless dry rot treatment spray.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25If I give that a quick spray, if we say 300 quid for doing that...
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Naughty Roger.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32So how much will Vik agree to pay for this bogus treatment?
0:10:32 > 0:10:36I'm not sure how much I've got. Will you do a discount?
0:10:36 > 0:10:41And how will he feel when he realises he's been conned?
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I think I'd have cried as well.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50For Vik's sake, let's hope it doesn't end in tears.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56Unfortunately, spraying water and lying about ceiling repairs happened to dozens of home owners,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01the shocking work of two brothers who went to prison in 2011.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07Various police forces and trading standards teams joined forces to bring them to justice
0:11:07 > 0:11:11and their conviction is proof that crime never pays.
0:11:11 > 0:11:17This is the story of two rogue brothers - James and Robert Vincent -
0:11:17 > 0:11:20who preyed on old people in south London for years.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25Their case goes right back to 2003 when they were imprisoned for fraud.
0:11:25 > 0:11:31Detective Sergeant Keith Simmonett remembers them well.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35I was aware of the Vincent brothers being arrested in 2003
0:11:35 > 0:11:37for offences against the elderly,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40constantly ripping them off.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42You don't forget that.
0:11:42 > 0:11:48The trick they used was to befriend elderly people in the street or by cold calling on them at home.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52They would fake problems - spraying water on a ceiling as damp -
0:11:52 > 0:11:57and then demand money there and then to fix it.
0:11:57 > 0:12:04In May 2010 after the brothers were released from prison, they started up again.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09The police became aware of an elderly gentleman being approached in Eltham.
0:12:09 > 0:12:15He was befriended by two males who stated they had conducted previous work at his address.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20He was then followed home. The males knocked on his door,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23conned their way into his address.
0:12:23 > 0:12:29They sprayed water on the ceilings, stating that he had an urgent leak that needed repairs
0:12:29 > 0:12:31or his premises could collapse.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36Unfortunately, the gentleman handed over £2,000 for work not required.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41£2,000 for spraying water on the ceiling.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46When the victim raised the alarm, police suspected the Vincent brothers right away.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50By this time, their tactics had become infamous.
0:12:50 > 0:12:56But this wasn't an isolated case. DS Simmonett was alerted to eight similar scams
0:12:56 > 0:13:01across south London. And Kent Police supplied crucial evidence -
0:13:01 > 0:13:06a picture of one Vincent brother taken by one of their covert cameras.
0:13:06 > 0:13:13They'd installed it in the home of an elderly victim who was repeatedly targeted by rogue tradesmen.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19He'd been duped for bogus work, stating that water was leaking from his ceiling at his address.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24Kent Police sent that image through to us. I recognised Robert Vincent.
0:13:24 > 0:13:30With evidence tying him to the scene, Robert Vincent was arrested and charged
0:13:30 > 0:13:35before the court released him on bail. But what about his brother?
0:13:35 > 0:13:40Trading Standards at nearby Bromley were also aware of the Vincent Brothers.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Rob Vale headed the investigation there.
0:13:44 > 0:13:51When you start investigating a case like this, you very quickly become quite passionate about it.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55You've got vulnerable victims being targeted by ruthless individuals.
0:13:55 > 0:14:01In August, a phone call came in to Trading Standards from a local resident
0:14:01 > 0:14:05who suspected a bogus workman at a neighbour's house.
0:14:05 > 0:14:12As soon as we got the call, the details were that it was an older consumer and property repairs.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16She was concerned that the neighbour was the victim of a scam.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22We've got alarm bells ringing. Our protocol is that we go to the scene immediately.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27Lo and behold, they caught James Vincent in the act.
0:14:27 > 0:14:33As suspected, he was taking money from the victim for roofing work that didn't need doing.
0:14:33 > 0:14:39- Like his brother, he was charged, but released on bail.- It was important that we got them.
0:14:39 > 0:14:46They're prolific offenders, repeat offenders and they target the most vulnerable people.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48We want to stop them doing that.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53With the brothers loose again, police kept a close eye on them.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57There was a team of more than 20 officers involved,
0:14:57 > 0:15:02Due to the vulnerability of the victims, we feared they'd commit further offences.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08For four days they watched as the two brothers drove around, occasionally calling at houses
0:15:08 > 0:15:14that looked like they might belong to pensioners. Staggering behaviour for criminals on bail,
0:15:14 > 0:15:19to continue going about their deceitful business.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23On the fourth day, Robert Vincent called on an elderly couple.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Police set up a surveillance camera in the house opposite.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31On the footage, the elderly victim is just going to his vehicle.
0:15:31 > 0:15:38He's on the way to the bank to withdraw some money because the repair work is £2,800.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41As you can see, Robert Vincent leaves the premises.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45He covers his hand with a glove to leave no fingerprints behind.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Note that he's wearing glasses.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50He doesn't normally wear glasses.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54James Vincent picked up his brother in a car around the corner
0:15:54 > 0:16:00and followed the elderly victim to the bank. This intimidating tactic is a common trick
0:16:00 > 0:16:06to make sure the rogues get their money. It was at this point the police moved in on them.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11As we tried to arrest them, James Vincent thought different
0:16:11 > 0:16:16and he then drove like an absolute lunatic for a three-mile chase.
0:16:16 > 0:16:22He was driving up pavements, causing danger to pedestrians, through a hospital car park,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26and if he'd not been stopped, someone may have been seriously injured.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32In February, 2011, James and Robert Vincent were sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison
0:16:32 > 0:16:35for fraud and dangerous driving.
0:16:42 > 0:16:48Later, the London company which took money from customers' bank accounts without their knowledge
0:16:48 > 0:16:50to pay for work they didn't want!
0:16:50 > 0:16:57He took money from me without my permission and I was worried that if he'd do that to me,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59he'd do it to other people.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Plus, as we show you how not to be ripped off,
0:17:02 > 0:17:08Roger turns into a treacherous tree surgeon and hits a pensioner with one lie after another.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11- Does it show?- No, we bury it.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15It's fully guaranteed. You'll be all right.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21- Hello, are you Vik? - But first it's time to find out if streetwise Vik Patel from Essex
0:17:21 > 0:17:26falls for Roger's tricks. It was his wife who set him up.
0:17:26 > 0:17:32Now Roger's trying to convince him that his bathroom floor could collapse at any moment.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38Our cowboy will overcharge Vik for a special treatment spray, which is just water and wood hardener.
0:17:38 > 0:17:44And he wants £300 for that. Roger's getting more tools when Vik finally makes up his mind.
0:17:47 > 0:17:53- Yeah, spray it. - You want us to spray it?- Yeah. - OK, we'll get on it.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Thank you!
0:17:57 > 0:18:03Vik's a lovely fella. He's gone for it. He's decided to spend the money, have the spray job, 300 quid.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07We'll be in there about half an hour, something like that.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12And then we'll be on our way with some money. Good result for us.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Roger's van is packed with props for every possible scam.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23He's filled his spray pump with wood varnish and water. It smells like it should do good.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27Vik is keeping a close eye on him and probably both nostrils, too.
0:18:27 > 0:18:34- Has he started to smell a rat yet? - These guys from the dry rot and woodworm companies phone me up
0:18:34 > 0:18:40because I'm a plumber and they say, "If you can find us any dry rot jobs, refer them to us
0:18:40 > 0:18:44"and if we get the job we'll give you 500 quid."
0:18:44 > 0:18:48So what are they charging? You know?
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Food for thought, Roger. Or a deliberate distraction
0:18:52 > 0:18:55so Vik doesn't notice you're spraying so little fluid?
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Roger's kept up his spray of banter for so long
0:18:59 > 0:19:01that day has turned into night.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Vik's eardrums must be throbbing, if not his floorboards.
0:19:05 > 0:19:11We've given him a spray up. Most of the time we were talking and I was pretending to spray.
0:19:11 > 0:19:17Now I want to go back and ask him for the money. If he pays me £300 for that, about 20 minutes' work,
0:19:17 > 0:19:24we'll be doing very well for ourselves. We'll have to see how we go. Fingers crossed.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Wish me luck.
0:19:27 > 0:19:33Today Vik Patel has let in a tricky tradesman who has put the dampeners on his night in.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38He's sprayed cobwebs all over the bathroom floor and pumped a useless coating of water and varnish
0:19:38 > 0:19:42over the floorboards, all to stop a drip.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Will our customer pay up?
0:19:44 > 0:19:47- OK?- Yeah.- That's done.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52- 300 quid.- I'm not sure how much I've got. You do a discount?
0:19:52 > 0:19:57Ah...yeah, we can let you off with the fluid. What do you...?
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Even with the job finished, Vik's trying to negotiate the cost down.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- Will he get the better of our rogue? - 260.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Eh...
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- Yeah, I'm reluctant to because... - It's fine.
0:20:10 > 0:20:17- Yeah, yeah, it's fine. - I'll discount you on the next job, but I've had a bad day.
0:20:17 > 0:20:23- Two...lovely.- Sorry about that, mate.- If I had just put 100 quid in the fuel tank...- Yeah.
0:20:23 > 0:20:29..which is what it costs me to fill that van up, I'd feel more generous. Plus it's Friday night.
0:20:29 > 0:20:36- All right.- Thank you very much. - And you...- I'll send you an estimate for the insurance company.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39And see what they say, yeah?
0:20:39 > 0:20:45Vik's chasing our rogue for a receipt, but Roger doesn't want to leave any evidence.
0:20:45 > 0:20:52- I'll send it the old-fashioned snail mail way.- Vik shouldn't let him go without a receipt for the work
0:20:52 > 0:20:57- and for the money paid.- Cheers. I've got it.- Have a nice evening. - Take care.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02Roger's gone, leaving Vik £300 down for nothing.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06No second opinion, no written quotation, not even a receipt,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10all because Vik was rushed into a job he didn't actually need doing.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16With Roger hiding around the corner, with Vik's wife, who set up her husband,
0:21:16 > 0:21:22it's time for our producer to pay the consumer a visit and reveal the truth of the scam.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Hi, mate. I'm doing a programme about rogue traders and so on.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31- Have you had any done today? - I just had one guy.- Really?- Yeah.
0:21:31 > 0:21:38- Can you tell me what he did? - He sprayed this spray that will stop the wood from, like,
0:21:38 > 0:21:43breaking up, basically. You know, when wood gets wet.
0:21:43 > 0:21:50- If I was to tell you that Roger Bisby has been ripping people off... - It wouldn't surprise me.
0:21:50 > 0:21:56- How does that feel if you've been ripped off?- It's gone now, isn't it? There's not a lot I can do.
0:21:56 > 0:22:02- It's time to tell him the good news. - If I told you we've set you up with the help of your wife,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- who is just coming now... - Oh, my God! Are you serious?
0:22:07 > 0:22:08BLEEP
0:22:08 > 0:22:12- You gave him all our money? - If I'd lost that for nothing,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15that would play on my mind.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I think I'd have cried as well.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23- Here it is, my friend. - Ah! You gave me a shock.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27There was a feeling in me that something wasn't right.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31- You were watching so much.- Yeah. - That's a good thing.
0:22:31 > 0:22:38My advice is to get quotes. Ask people, people you know, friends, family.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43Get something in writing. Don't rush it, like I did today.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46And, em...
0:22:46 > 0:22:49make sure the people you are getting are legit people.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Cheers.
0:22:51 > 0:22:58Vik was such a good sport there, but what can you and I do to avoid being ripped off?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02For a start, never agree to the work starting the same day.
0:23:02 > 0:23:08And always get a receipt. Vik would have had a way of bringing Roger to book.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12And, most important of all, if in doubt, keep them out.
0:23:15 > 0:23:21Now I've been impressed to find out that there's a regulator for almost every type of domestic trade.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Roofers, electricians, even tree surgeons.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29When it comes to giant oaks and sycamores, you need the pros,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32not a couple of cowboys with big smiles and a shiny van,
0:23:32 > 0:23:37but that isn't stopping Roger from visiting a family in Berkshire.
0:23:39 > 0:23:46Shop manager Matthew Dibley is very close to his father Ian, who loves playing tricks on friends.
0:23:46 > 0:23:52He knows quite a bit about DIY. He's always doing things around the house, fixing things.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55He usually tries to do things before calling someone out.
0:23:55 > 0:24:02When it comes to building work, Matthew thinks his father can be gullible and may fall for a prank.
0:24:02 > 0:24:08If someone says something needs doing, he'll probably go with it without checking other quotes.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Ian and his wife live here in Berkshire with a large tree outside.
0:24:12 > 0:24:18Matthew has faked a letter from the council saying the trees' roots could be causing a problem.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22That's all our tricky tradesman needs.
0:24:22 > 0:24:28We're going to create a scam by lying a fairy ring around the outside of the tree
0:24:28 > 0:24:32to stop the roots from spreading. It's like bonsai technology.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37- What have you got?- Some tent pegs for you.- Are we going camping?
0:24:37 > 0:24:41Not exactly, no. And I've got a little pamphlet
0:24:41 > 0:24:46which gives a little brief description of how this works.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50This is important. This has got a lot of technical phrases
0:24:50 > 0:24:56and hopefully will bamboozle the householder with science and make them think this nonsense works.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01So Roger's tricks include the use of fake literature,
0:25:01 > 0:25:07also a fake root treatment using wire and tent pegs for which he'll charge a fortune,
0:25:07 > 0:25:13a third trick will worry Ian about the roots affecting the value of his home by damaging the foundations.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18Simple, but will Ian allow Roger to get to the root of the problem?
0:25:18 > 0:25:23There are genuine methods available for containing tree roots,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27but they usually cost thousands of pounds. Roger intends to charge
0:25:27 > 0:25:31around £400, which will sound like a bargain.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35He's using wire and tent pegs that cost him no more than £20.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38That's quite a profitable scam.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Matthew has told his dad to expect the workmen at around three.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Hello. We got the right place. Sorry if we were a bit late.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57That's all right. My son organised it. I'd a letter from the council.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02I was away. He picked up the letter and he says, "Just have it checked."
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- Yeah. This one.- Yeah.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10We've been here 25, 30 years. We haven't had any problems.
0:26:10 > 0:26:17- Somebody told me it usually goes out to the...sort of like the width of the tree.- Yeah.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22It sounds like Ian has done some research already.
0:26:22 > 0:26:28Tree roots can spread horizontally as far as the tree is tall. Roger has to think fast
0:26:28 > 0:26:33to get Ian interested. He decides on his most worrying trick first,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37rattling him with a sudden devaluation of the property.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42- Are you going to sell this house? - Yeah.- Are you? It's highly likely
0:26:42 > 0:26:46that that tree will be a factor. The trouble with surveyors is
0:26:46 > 0:26:51they always hedge their bets. Insurance companies are paranoid.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56They've got so many subsidence claims and that's made them err on the side of caution.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01When the person who buys your house wants insurance for subsidence,
0:27:01 > 0:27:07the insurance companies are saying, "We won't cover it because of the proximity of the tree."
0:27:07 > 0:27:11- It wasn't anything to do with selling the house.- No, no.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17Good try, Roger, but Ian's having none of it. You've come up against a customer
0:27:17 > 0:27:22- who can stand up to your flannel. - We've got a device we can put round the tree
0:27:22 > 0:27:26to limit the root growth out.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31And it just makes the roots go downwards, so it won't interfere with the house.
0:27:31 > 0:27:37If we do that, we can guarantee the future of the tree and you can put that on the house deeds
0:27:37 > 0:27:42- for the next people.- I think Roger may have his work cut out here.
0:27:42 > 0:27:49He's got a client who wants a quote before the work is done and who isn't falling for any old cobblers.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54- How is Roger going to ensure he nails this job? - We could do that for 400 quid.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59Then you get a guarantee with it. If somebody buys your house
0:27:59 > 0:28:05and they've knocked money off because of that tree, you lose that money anyway. So...
0:28:05 > 0:28:12Ian doesn't look convinced, but another dirty trick is coming. Go on, blind him with science.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Basically, it's like an earthing rod that goes round there.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20It just basically creates an equipotential zone
0:28:20 > 0:28:27and then that makes the roots want to go downwards, deeper into the grounds, rather than out.
0:28:27 > 0:28:33- I'll tell you what I'll do. If it does come up on the survey, I'll come back to you.- Yeah.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35OK. Yeah.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41Good on you, Ian. Look at Roger's face. It says it all. Has he met his match?
0:28:42 > 0:28:47So how much joy will he have talking Ian into a job he doesn't need?
0:28:47 > 0:28:49We'll send you a written guarantee.
0:28:49 > 0:28:54Will this smart consumer see through Roger's fake credentials?
0:28:54 > 0:29:00- I just tried to get into your website and I couldn't get into it.- Do you want me to find out why?- Yeah.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09You go for it, Ian. Roger's making great use of scare tactics and faked paperwork,
0:29:09 > 0:29:14but they are just two examples of the tricks real rogues use.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19One of the oldest tricks in their book is to turn up at a consumer's home for one reason
0:29:19 > 0:29:26and, once they have access, develop it into something far more expensive which usually doesn't need doing.
0:29:27 > 0:29:34That happened to Jane Ford and Diana Pottinger when they got in touch with Gardenbase Ltd
0:29:34 > 0:29:37and were taken to the cleaners.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Money had been taken for work I hadn't agreed to.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42He'd taken every penny I had.
0:29:42 > 0:29:48Gardenbase Ltd, not to be confused with companies with a similar name, was set up by Christopher Marino
0:29:48 > 0:29:54and was known in north London for its advertising. That's how Jane and Diana first found it.
0:29:54 > 0:30:01When Diana mentioned her need for interior work as well, Gardenbase were only too pleased to quote.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05I needed him to fix a hole in the wall of my downstairs shower.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09He charged me a fee
0:30:09 > 0:30:13for coming round to do the estimate. £17.50.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16I agreed to this because I was anxious to get it done.
0:30:16 > 0:30:23That was the first trick. Both Diana and Jane agreed to pay £17.50 for Christopher Marino to visit them,
0:30:23 > 0:30:28which seems quite steep when he should be keen for their custom.
0:30:28 > 0:30:34Unfortunately, they had no idea that he had past form for disreputable behaviour
0:30:34 > 0:30:37going back to 2006.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41He gave us a commitment that he would start trading fairly. He didn't.
0:30:41 > 0:30:47He then gave a commitment to the court that he'd trade within the law, he would do a good job,
0:30:47 > 0:30:52he would make sure he gave the correct paperwork and he wouldn't take money without permission.
0:30:52 > 0:30:59- Again, he didn't.- By 2009, it seems he was still not trading within the law
0:30:59 > 0:31:04and using dirty tricks on his clients. When he quoted Jane £5,000 for garden work,
0:31:04 > 0:31:12which included a new rockery, he talked his way into her house - and not just to write out his quote.
0:31:12 > 0:31:18Because my home was quite in need of redecoration and refurbishment
0:31:18 > 0:31:25he noticed and really before I'd even signed the documentation for the garden work deposit
0:31:25 > 0:31:29he was pestering me regarding the interior work,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33wandering round my property, uninvited.
0:31:33 > 0:31:38I did become quite worried about this, very concerned.
0:31:38 > 0:31:45Jane resisted his face to face sales patter, but he continued to pester her by phone.
0:31:45 > 0:31:51He hit her with a quote of £18,000 to renovate her rockery and redecorate her house.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53A bit steep.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58I said I couldn't afford to have that done as well as the gardening work
0:31:58 > 0:32:03and he said... Well, he offered £10,000. Could I afford that?
0:32:03 > 0:32:05And I still declined.
0:32:05 > 0:32:10It was extremely strange and quite worrying.
0:32:10 > 0:32:16Quite a drop. He must have been desperate. Jane knew something was wrong, but couldn't figure it out.
0:32:16 > 0:32:22And she was unaware of another trick Marino had buried in the small print of his paperwork.
0:32:22 > 0:32:28It stated that the balance would be payable three days prior to completion of the work,
0:32:28 > 0:32:33which I was not aware of. If I had been, I wouldn't have signed it.
0:32:33 > 0:32:39Because Marino had taken her debit card details, he was able to take the total amount when it suited him
0:32:39 > 0:32:45without her knowledge. By law, we're allowed a seven-day cooling off period for good and services
0:32:45 > 0:32:49sold to us in our homes. Marino didn't tell Jane this.
0:32:49 > 0:32:55He also promised written material which didn't arrive. A consumer helpline put her in touch
0:32:55 > 0:33:01with Trading Standards who advised her how to cancel the work. But on her next bank statement,
0:33:01 > 0:33:07Gardenbase Ltd had taken £2,200 from her account... for work she'd refused.
0:33:08 > 0:33:13As well as taking the £2,000 deposit for the garden work,
0:33:13 > 0:33:18he'd taken £200 which was unauthorised.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Shocking. Marino was playing similar financial tricks on Diana Pottinger.
0:33:23 > 0:33:31He'd quoted £1,800 for work on her shower, but had withdrawn £2,600 from her account
0:33:31 > 0:33:38before the job was even finished. Trading Standards later estimated the value of his work at just £900.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43So massive overcharging and premature withdrawals of funds.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48He lied to me. He took money from me without my permission
0:33:48 > 0:33:54and I was worried that if he would do that to me, he'd do it to others.
0:33:54 > 0:33:59The law caught up with Marino again. In March, 2011, he pleaded guilty
0:33:59 > 0:34:06to 13 charges of contempt of court and was given a 28-day prison sentence, suspended for two years.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10Jane got all her money back and Marino repaid Diana £780.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14Gardenbase Ltd is in liquidation.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20I think it's very worrying that rogue traders
0:34:20 > 0:34:25can use that sort of facade to deceive people.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29There's no protection against that. I did all the checks
0:34:29 > 0:34:33and I was still deceived.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37So be wary of paying for quotes, always read the small print
0:34:37 > 0:34:43and don't empower tradesmen with the means to charge your debit or credit card whenever they see fit.
0:34:43 > 0:34:49What's more, if you suspect that you or one of your friends is at risk of being ripped off,
0:34:49 > 0:34:53it does no harm at all to check with your local Trading Standards.
0:34:53 > 0:34:59Now will Ian Dibley in Berkshire realise he's on the receiving end of a serious con trick?
0:34:59 > 0:35:06- This one.- Yeah.- If you remember, Roger is trying to con him out of £400 for a special system
0:35:06 > 0:35:12to stop the spread of his tree roots, but Ian doesn't seem convinced by that towering quote.
0:35:12 > 0:35:18I'll tell you what I'll do. If it comes up on the survey, I'll come back to you.
0:35:18 > 0:35:25Hang on, Roger. What do rogue tradesmen do with a tricky customer? They push their luck.
0:35:25 > 0:35:31Roger needs Ian to agree to the work now or he may look for quotes elsewhere and discover the rip-off.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Suddenly, Luke remembers they have another trick to play.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Have you got that pamphlet? Your leaflet?
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Watch out, Ian.
0:35:40 > 0:35:45Tradesmen of all kinds rely on literature to use as convincers
0:35:45 > 0:35:51and the small print needs to be checked carefully to ensure the promises are genuine.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55I just think it's investment. Once it's done...
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Whenever you buy a house, you come along, don't you?
0:35:59 > 0:36:05"There's a bit of a gutter problem there. Knock a couple of hundred off. There's a tree root problem.
0:36:05 > 0:36:12"Knock a bit off there. Roof's all right, blah blah blah. Where's the guarantees on this?"
0:36:12 > 0:36:15It's all about peace of mind in the end.
0:36:15 > 0:36:22Ian has a phone conversation with son Matthew, who reassures his dad that the tradesman is bona fide.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24It's proven technology.
0:36:24 > 0:36:29- Well, it's 400 quid! - Good old Ian. He's checking.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31We'll do it cheaper.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Can you do it for 330?
0:36:40 > 0:36:43350. How about that? Is that cash?
0:36:43 > 0:36:48- We're doing ourselves here. - Roger is desperate for his cash
0:36:48 > 0:36:52- and, like many cowboy tradesmen, he's really pushing his luck.- OK.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56We'll send you a written guarantee on it and everything. Yeah?
0:36:56 > 0:37:03- Well, I need that.- Yeah.- Ian is no fool. He thinks something's up, despite his son's reassurances.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07So what is it you actually put in? A ring or something?
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Yeah, it's equipotential bonding.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15- It just makes the roots go... - So how long does that take to do?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20- A couple of hours, that's all. - Does it show?- No, no, no.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22We bury it there.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27OK? All right, we'll sort ourselves out, then get cracking. We could talk all day(!)
0:37:32 > 0:37:34Well, he's gone for that.
0:37:34 > 0:37:40I was...I was really starting to dig deep to make up a load of old nonsense there,
0:37:40 > 0:37:45but he seemed to be fairly happy that it's all new technology.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50It was way above his head, which is what we like. So he's buying into it.
0:37:50 > 0:37:57He's gone away to read our leaflet and hopefully that will persuade him that we know what we're on about.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Let's get on. Let's do some work.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03There you are, Luke. Give me that one.
0:38:03 > 0:38:10- That'll do, just to there. - Amazingly, Ian doesn't come out to inspect the job once.
0:38:10 > 0:38:15If he had, the guys would surely have been rumbled - sawing lines in the lawn?
0:38:15 > 0:38:20Filling them with cheap electric cable? Hammering in tent pegs?
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Roger may as well be tying rope around the tree.
0:38:25 > 0:38:31- You've made a nice job of that, Luke.- I have, haven't I? - Not too quick - here comes Ian
0:38:31 > 0:38:36and he has some searching questions about that fake literature.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43That's it. Done. Finito. All hidden in the ground.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46- There's a rod there.- Yeah.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50I just went into your website, tried to get in.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54- That's the company that makes the product.- I couldn't get into it.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59- Couldn't get in?- I was trying to read about it.- That's why I left it.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04- You couldn't get into the website? - No.- Want me to find out why?- Yeah.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09This is brilliant. Ian's been online to check out Roger's fake website,
0:39:09 > 0:39:13a website that doesn't exist. Ian could be about to rumble Roger.
0:39:13 > 0:39:19I went on a training course with these people for two weeks and they told me
0:39:19 > 0:39:24that all this would be up and running...by the time we took delivery of our first units.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29Anyway, it's fully guaranteed. Any problem with it, we'll...
0:39:29 > 0:39:33I'm just getting an answer phone message.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36They're closed until... They're closed after 5.30.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41It was all up and running, so I don't know what the problem is,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45but we've just got to crack on. We've got another job.
0:39:45 > 0:39:50Today DIY enthusiast Ian let a con man tackle the roots of his tree.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55Roger used a ridiculous array of gadgets in an attempt to blind him with science.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57So will Ian pay up?
0:40:00 > 0:40:04That's all right. We'll sort it out.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08- One, two, three four, five. 330.- Yeah.
0:40:08 > 0:40:15- Here you are. I don't trust him. I want to count again. - YOU don't trust HIM?!
0:40:15 > 0:40:19Not half as much as he doesn't trust you, but he's still paying up.
0:40:19 > 0:40:2240, 60, 80, one ton.
0:40:22 > 0:40:2620, 40, 60, 80, two ton.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29All right, OK. 330. That's all right.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32That's it. Money's changed hands.
0:40:32 > 0:40:38Ian does at least have a receipt, but Roger's faked his address and it's not worth anything.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41A £330 rip-off.
0:40:42 > 0:40:48With Roger now out of sight, our producer calls on Ian to reveal the truth of the scam.
0:40:48 > 0:40:55- Hello.- We're from the BBC.- Hello. - We're doing a few investigations around the area.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- Right.- And we were chatting t some of your neighbours
0:40:59 > 0:41:04asking if anyone's had any experiences of various tradesmen...
0:41:04 > 0:41:08Well, funnily enough, we just had a chap round.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12He said he put electric fielding around the tree.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14An electric field around a tree.
0:41:14 > 0:41:21- I don't know if you ever heard of that.- Do you mind me asking how much you gave to him?- It was four...
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Well, the bill was 400, yeah. £400.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- Did you pay by cheque?- No, cash.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33- Yeah.- Where's that son, Matthew, when you need him?
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Here they are! Have I been done? Have I been done?
0:41:37 > 0:41:42- Sorry.- We thought this would be good. How are you?
0:41:42 > 0:41:44What have you done?
0:41:44 > 0:41:47'Yes, I am pleased'
0:41:47 > 0:41:52with the way I dealt with it. I was convinced I was being scammed.
0:41:52 > 0:41:58- I shouldn't have left you with that piece of paper.- No.- That was too much information.- It was, yes.
0:41:58 > 0:42:06Not totally because my son was involved and he convinced me that it was the right thing to do,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10but... I'd never do it again.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16- Have I got to check it?- Yeah. - Really? Right.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18'If any callers call now,'
0:42:18 > 0:42:22I would definitely get ID.
0:42:22 > 0:42:29And, you know, I think that's advisable for anybody to get ID
0:42:29 > 0:42:34for any callers that call to the door because I've been scammed today,
0:42:34 > 0:42:39but I wouldn't like to see anybody else get scammed.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48Thanks for being such a great sport, Ian. Roger's played quite the rogue for us today
0:42:48 > 0:42:54to help us see how rotten and devious some dirty tricksters can be. He's normally honest,
0:42:54 > 0:43:01like the vast majority of tradesmen who you can rely on. Remember, if in doubt, keep them out.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Thanks for watching. See you next time.
0:43:13 > 0:43:18Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2011
0:43:21 > 0:43:23Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk